The means for treating symptoms of urine retention is either surgery or another equivalent treatment, which removes the obstruction. Alternatively, the patient is required to have a catheter implanted or to learn so called self-draining. In the first case, a drainage catheter is placed into the urinary tract, from the penis and up into the bladder. The catheter is formed as a tube or a canal and is usually comprised of soft material, for example, latex, polyurethane, or silicone. At the end that lies in the bladder, the catheter is comprised of a balloon, which is blown up and prevents the catheter from slipping out. At the other end, outside of the penis, a clamp is usually attached so that the patient can open/close the catheter canal. Also urine can be collected by means of the attachment of a reservoir. The patient can also be taught to insert, on his own, a drainage catheter for him or herself into the bladder every time the urge to urinate arises and in that way can avoid the need to continually leave the catheter inside of him or herself.
There are a number of different forms of treatment with respect to obstruction by the prostate gland, such as surgery and treatment with heat. Aging problems in the form of acute urinary tract retention can arise, however, usually during a certain time after the treatment.
As relates to disease of the prostate, the type of assistance that is available today to many of those patients who have significant problems, and who no longer can rid themselves of urine spontaneously, is chronic catheter care in the form of continual use of a catheter. Alternatively, patients can be taught the technique of inserting an emptying catheter up through the urethra into the bladder every time the urge to urinate arises. However the patient must then always carry on his or her person sterile one-time use catheters. In certain more unusual cases, a stent can be placed into the prostate in order to stretch the tissue outward and allow the passage of urine. In the greatest majority of cases, however, a catheter is used. Disadvantages with all forms of catheter treatments, whether one uses an unremovable catheter or self-insertion, are that the patient's discomfort in using a catheter as well as the limitations on quality of life issues that come with it, i.e. socially, sexually, etc. In addition, there is a relatively high risk that urinary tract infections will arise through use of a catheter.
If the patient is determined to be an unsuitable subject to undergo a radical treatment of the disease by means such as surgery, due to weakness or other reasons use of a catheter will be required for the remainder of the patient's life.
Another usual form of treatment for obstructions caused by the enlargement of the prostate gland is by means of heat treatment using microwaves, radio waves, ultra sound or laser. The object of this type of treatment is to destroy a portion of the prostate tissue nearest to the urine through the urethra in order to achieve free passage of urine in this way. With such treatments, acute retention within the urinary tract usually arises. This is a result of the fact that the heat-treated prostate tissue becomes swollen. Thus, with respect to heat treatments, it is therefore quite usual that a catheter is inserted for approximately two weeks in order to insure the drainage of urine even during this period. Despite the fact that the drainage of urine is insured by using this method, the catheter in and of itself can result in problems for the patient.